Apparatus for bottling liquids.



F. G. RILEY. APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILED NOV.1B,1907.

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I. G. RILEY. APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1907.

Patented Aug. 24. 1909.

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APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1907.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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F. G. RILEY.

APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1907.

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F., G. RILEY. APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 13.1907.

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'E'. G. RILEY. APPARATUS FOR BOTTLING LIQUIDS. APPLICATION FILEDNOV.'18', 1907.

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.APPARATUS FOR norms moo ms.

Specification orn aasramnt. Patented 4ug. j24,;Q09

Application filed November 18,1961. Serial a... 402.624.

Be it known that I, FREDERIC GEoRoE RILEiQfa subject of the King ofGreat Brit-' ain, residing at 256 South Lambeth road,

London, S. VV., in the county of Surrey, England, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Bottling Liquids, of whichthe following is a I specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

My irgy ention relates particularly to bottle-filling machines'of thetype in which bottles are inserted in suitable holding devices andengaged by filling devices controlled by a valve by which the emissionof air and the admission of liquid are controlled. i

One object of the invention is to provide such a machine with automaticmeans for interrupting its olperationin' the absence of olding andfilling devices.

Another object of the invention is to so arrange the machine that itwill fail to operate in the absence of suitable adjustment andlubrication of the valve.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve of improved formadapted for operation in connection with liquids of corrosive characteror under high pressure.

.To the foregoing objects and other ob-- jects of the invention whichwill be noted in connection with the description of the illustratedembodiment of the invention, the invention consists in thebottle-filling machine hereinafter described, as defined in the appendedclaims. N

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevatlon, partly insection, of a bottle-filling machine embodyin the present invention.Fig. 1 is an enlarge view of the ball race H Fig. 2 is a sectional planview of the filling reservoir. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same.Fig. 4 is a partial sectional elevation of the machine, showing theautomatic stop in inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe lower portion of .the machine viewed in the same direction as tlecarrier and its actuating mechanism,- looking from rlght to left 1n Fig.7. F ms. 9

and 10 are sectional detail views of the drainage outlet and receptacle.Fig. 11' is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged; scale, of one of thefilling. de ices. Figs-.112, and 13 are transverse sections through thefilling' device, showing the hand valve in open and closed positions,respectively. Fig. 14 is a vertical section through the upper portion ofa modified form of the machine. Fig. 15

is a plan view of the, valve and valve cham-.

her 111 the modified form of the machine;

Fig. 16'is a sectional plan of the modified valve seen from below.

The illustrated embodiment of the inven:

The bottle carrier is journaled on a column B, and comprises a sleeveCresting on a ball-race B and a broad base C which supports thebottle-holding devices and is formed to constitute also .a pan to catchdrainage from the bottlefilling devices.

The bottles are supported on the bottle carrier by bottle holderscomprising bottle seats D in which the bottoms of the bottles restmounted on slides D which move in slide boxes D on the bottom of thebottle tion is a power-driven rotary machine adapted to-operate bottlecarrier by carrier. The bottle holders are normally" held in operativeposition by compression springs Dtwhich are mounted within the slidesand engage pins 1) fixed in thebottle carrier and passing throughtransverse slots in the slides. These springs tend to move the bottleholders inward'so as to engage and hold the bottles.

An intermittent rotary movement is,im-

parted to the bottle'carrler by mechanism comprising a bevel gear Cfixed to the bottom of the bottle carrier, and a cooperatingbevel'pinion F, which is loosely j'ournaled on a horizontal shaft E. Theshaft E is journaled in bearings in column B, and has fixed at one endan arm E carrying a pawl E engaging a ratchet F fixed to plnion F. Theother'end of shaft E carries anarm E which is connected, by a link G",with a cani slide G carrying a cam roll engaginga r0- tary cam G Cam Gis mounted on a countershaft G jour'naled in a column G on the bed-plateA of the machine, and the ley shafts G and G journaled on column G, andcone pulleys Gr and G connected by a belt. Shaft G is rotated by apulley G2 connected with a source of power. As cam G is rotated by themeans described it acts once in each revolution to move slide G link Gand arm E to the right (Fig. 7 so that rock shaft E moves armE in thesame direction and pawl E moves idly over rachet F The return movementof rock shaft E and the parts carried thereby, by which the bottlecarrier is rotated, is not positive in character but is caused by atorsion spring E, which is fixed, at one end, to the hub of arm E and,at the other end, to a block E adjustably mounted on the frame of themachine. This spring tends constantly to rotate the rock shaft in thedirection to cause pawl E to rotate ratchet F and gear F, and thus, whenthe depressed portion of cam (Er' engages the cam roll the spring actsto impart a partial rotation to the bottle carrier.

After each movement of the bottle carrier the operator removes a filledbottle and substitutes an empty one, and to facilitate this operationautomatic means are provided for moving the bottle-holder outward torelease the filled bottle from the filling devices. For this purpose apusher B comprising a horizontal rod and a depending arm is mounted toslide horizontally in column B opposite the position occupied by eachslide D when it assumes the position at which the bottle is replaced. Arod G passes loosely through the pusher, having its movement withrespect thereto limited by a collar Gr and a sleeve G, and a compressionspring Gr tends to maintain collar G in engagement with the pusher. RodG is fixed to a cam slide G, which carries a cam roll which is engagedalternately by cams G and G on countershatt G Cam G acting through rod Gand sleeve G moves pusher B to engage and push back thebottle-holderslide opposite it, and the pusher also enters the slide boxso as to prevent accidental rotation. of the bottle carrier.

When cam G releases the parts, by its con-- tinued rotation, the pusheris withdrawn clearof the slide by the action of cam G while the slide isretracted by its spring to grip the bottle.

To prevent rotation of the bottle carrier when the operator fails, fromany cause to place a bottle of suitable size in the bottle holder whenit is released, as above described, the depending arm of pusher B isprovided with a finger B adapted to engage a lug on a collar E fixed torock-shaft E. In the normal retracted position of the pusher these partsdo not engage, but in the absence of abottle of proper length the. slideD is retracted by its spring beyond its bottle-gripping position, sothat it engages pusher B compresses the light spring and causes thefinger to engage the lug. By these means movement of rock-shaft E bysprlng E is prevented, and the bottle carrier 1s not rotated. Thecontinued operation of the cams G and G now causes the bottle holder tobe repeatedly released, but the operations of the machine are otherwisein-' terrupted, until the operator inserts a bottle.

Tooarrest the bottle carrier positively at the end of each partialrotation a ratchet C is formed on the bottle carrier, and link G isprovided with a detent G which engages the ratchet at the end of thereturn stroke of arm E coincident with the rotation of the bottlecarrier.

The bottle holders hold the mouths of the bottles in engagement'with thebottle-filling devices. Each bottle filling device com rises ottle afilling tube H which enters the neck to the point to which the bottle isto be filled and is provided with passages for the admission of liquidand the escape of air. A washer H of rubber surrounds the filling tubeand forms a tight joint with the bottle mouth.

The )assages in the filling tube register with in et and outlet passagesH and H, respectively, in a shell H, which is fixedto the upper endofsleeve C. In order. that these passages may be closed in the absence ofa bottle from any one of the filling devices, as in case of the burstingof a bottle, the filling-tube H is formed to constitute a valve, havinga flat extremity resting against a seat H in the shell H. The tube ismaintained against this seat by a threaded adplug valve H governing thepassages in the shell 1-1. This valve is ground to fit a recessin theshell, and is prevented from rotating with the latter by a stem H whichhas a flattened end extending into a slot in the top of column B.

The valve is maintained against its seat by a spring H which bears, atits upper end, against shell H and, at its lower end, against aball-race H on stem H To prevent undue wear of the valve, however, theaction of the spring is limited and controlled by a ball bearinginterposed between a flange H on the valve and an adjustable threadedring H on shell H. By means of ring ll the engagement of the valve withits seat may be nicely regulated so as to maintain a tight joint withoutundue friction.

The liquid with which the bottles are filled";

of filling.

is contained in a cylindrical reservoir J mounted on the valve H Thisreservoir also receives the air and gas dischar ed,

from the bottles in the course of the fillmg operation. .The reservoiris connected with a suitable source of liquid supply by J and the depthof liquid in the reservoir is controlled by a float J 2 connected with arelief valve J which operate to allow air and gas to escape from thereservoir through a cock J when the liquid falls below a pre-determinedlevel, and the release of the air and gas permits the entrance of afresh supply of liquid.

A central passage in the valve, connected with the bottom of thereservoir, communicates, through a lateral port, as shown in Fig. 3,witlrthe inlet passage H at suitable times in the operation of themachine, to admit liquid to the bottles, and the outlet passages Hregister with ports in the valve which unite, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3,in an annular passage J At. one end of this-passage is a riser tube Jwhich rises above the level. of the liquid in the reservoir. A sec-' ondriser J comes first into connection with each outlet passage, to chargethe bottle with gas under pressure before the flow of liquid begins. InFig. 3 these parts are not shown with strict accuracy, but, forpurposesof illustration, the tubes are .shown as if both lying in the sectionplane.

During the filling operation, as the liquid enters. through the inletpassages the air-and gas contained in the bottles. esca e through theoutlet passages and the tube An advantage o the arrangement by which theoutlet passages. are united in the common passage J 7 lies in the factthat the foam resulting from the filling of the bottles is removed fromthe bottles already filled by the passage of the, air escaping, throughthis common passage, from the bottles in process At the position inwhich the bottles are removed and replaced both the inlet passage andthe outlet passage of the filling device are out of communication with:the=reservoir, so that nothing escapes during the exchange of bottles. I

In order to remove liquid collectin inthe pan at the-bottom of thebottle earner,- the pan is provided with an outlet controlled by aspring-pressed valve C (Figs. 9 and 1(1), which is normally closed.Fixedto column B is a drainage receptacle C, which is pro vided with acam surface C \Vhen, inthe rotation of the bottle carrier, the valvepasses over the drainagereceptacle this cam en a gages the-stem ofthe.valve and raises the valve from. its seat-,and the drains. escapes intothe receptacle, from which it'is conducted'by a p e or othersuitablemeansi' Where flui s of-corrosive character or fluids -11I1d8r=.-g reat.pressurc.-are to-be handledthe modified form of fillingvalve shown in Figs. 14, 15-and 16 is preferably used. Here the valve Kis flat and rests ona-flat' seat K of incorrodible material located" atthe bottom of'the reservoir, which forms a valve chamber. The bottom ofthe reservoir is formed by a head K which-is fixed to-the top of sleeveC and carries the filling devices. The valve is ring-shaped in generalform, and is centered upon a rod- K, to which it is fixed by a pin K.The rod is fixed to the lower end of a fluid supply pipe K which entersthe top K of the reservoir through a packing joint K Rotation of thisipe is prevented by a. rod K? which is fix to the supply pipe and to anysuitable fixed object, and thus. the valve is prevented from rotating inunison with the valve seat. The lower end of the rod K loosely enters arecess in the head K and'thus the valve member is centered upon itsseat.

The outlet passages K. are controlled by the annular portion of thevalve, which is provided with a common outlet passage K serving.- thesame-purpose as thepassage J in the form of valve previously described,and a riser tube K connects this passage with the upper portion of thereservoir.

The inlet passages K are controlled by an independently-movable valvemember K,

which ispressed against the valve seat by. a

springK This arrangement is formed. to operate more reliably than avalve in which the inlet controlling portion is integral with theannular outlet controlling portion.

A; second riser K comesfirst. into communication with each bottle beforethe inlet port is opened, sothat the bottle is charged with gas or airunder pressurebefore the filling operation begins, and the creationoffoam is thereby reduced. In Fig. 14 the risersare shown somewhat. out oftheir proper positions, for clearness of illustrat-ion.

The supply of liquid to the-reservoir is controlled by a float K and anair-escape valvelK, as in the first described form of the invention.

The valve mechanism above described is so formed 'andfconstruct'ed. thatit is substantially, balanced against fluid pressure tend? ing to forceit against its seat. The pressure tending to force the inlet pipe fromthe reservoir opposes the ressure tending to forcethe valve againstltsseat, owin to the mechanical eonnectionbetween the Va ve and fee thepipe, and the-diameter of the ipe is such I seat with a uniformsuflicientpressure a spring-K", surroundingzthe supply pipe-K?is-arrangedgto beargat italower-endyagainst a ball bearing K mounted onthe su ply pipe, while its upper end is supported y a sleeve K fixed tothe top of the reservoir and the ordinary elasticity' of the supply pipeand the. rod K is suflicient to permit the minute movement of the valvein accommodating itself to its seat under the influence of the spring.This arrangement insures a minimum friction and wear between the valveand its seat under all varying conditions of working.

The use of yielding means such as the spring E, for rotating the bottlecarrier, simplifies the construction by which the machine is made tostop automatically in the absence of a bottle, since it permits themovement of the bottle carrier to be arof the bottle carrier has thefurther advan-' tage that it acts as a safety device to prevent injuryto the filling valve, for u on any undue increase in friction in the vave, due to failure of the operator to adjust the valve or to an othercause, the increased resistance wil prevent the rotation of the bottlecarrier, thereby calling attention to the defeet before injury to thevalve results.

It will be obvious that various niodifications may be made in theembodiment of my invention herein described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings within the nature and scope of the inventionas'defined in the following claims.

I claim 1. A bottle-filling machine comprising a bottle-filling deviceengaged by the mouth of the bottle, a valve controlling the operation ofthe bottle-filling device, a bottle holder movable to engage anddisengage the bottom *of the bottle, mechanism for actuating the valve,and connections between the bottle holder and said mechanism constructedand operating to prevent the actuation of the valve in the absence of abottle from the filling device and the bottle holder.

2. A bottle-filling machine comprisin a rotatably-mounted bottle.carrier, a filling device and a bottle holder mounted on the bottlecarrier, a valve .for controllin the operation of the filling deviceconnecte with the bottle carrier and actuated by the rotation thereof,means for imparting an intermittent rotation to the bottle carrier,'and

means connected with the bottle holder con-' structed and operatingtoprevent such rotation in the absence of a bottle. v

3. A bottle-fillin machine comprising a rotatably-mounted ttle carrierformed and constructed to hold va plurality of bottles, bottle-fillindevices. enga 'ngthe bottles on the bott e carrier, said iav'ices beinginoperative with respect to abottle in one position, yielding meansoperating regularly to impart a partial rotation to the bottle carrier,and means operating automatically to arrest such rotation in the absenceof a bottle in said position.

if-A bottle-filling machine comprising a rotatably-mounted bottlecarrier, a bottlefilling device, a valve controlling the operation ofthe filling device and connected with and actuated by the bottle carrierin its'rotation, a spring for imparting an intermittent rotation to thebottle carrier, a bottle-engaging device, a stop connected therewith andoperating to prevent the rotation of the bottle carrier in the absenceof a bottle.

5. A bottle-filling machine comprising a movably-mounted bottle carrier,bottlefilling means controlled in their operations bythe movement of thebottle carrier, and

yielding power-actuated means for imparting an intermittent movement tothe bottle carrier.

6. A'bottlefillin machine comprisin' a rotatably-mounted liottlecarrier, bottle-filling means including a valve connected with andactuated by the bottle carrier in its rotation, a spring for rotatingthe bottle carrier,

and means for compressing the spring intermittently.

7. A bottle-filling machine comprising a rotatably-mounted bottlecarrier, a bottlefilling device, a valve controlling the operation ofthe bottle-filling device and connected with and actuated by the bottlecarrier in its rotation, a bottle holder movably mounted on the bottlecarrier, automatic means for; imparting an intermittent rotation to thebottle carrier, and automatic means for moving the bottle holder torelease the bottle after the completion of the filling operation.

8. A bottle-filling machine comprising a bottle-filling device, a valvehavan relatively rotating members and controlling the operation of thebottle-filling device and constructed and arranged to be substantiallybalanced against the pressure of the fluids in trolling the operationthereof, a valve seat,

means for maintaining the valve with a substantially uniform pressureagainst its seat, and yielding means for relatively, rotating the valveand the valve seat with a predetermined degree of force.

10. In a bottle-fillin machine,- a filling valve provided with a odyportion engaging and controllin a plurality of air outlet ports, anindepen ent member controlling a plurality of fi ling ports, and asprmgconnecting said body portlon and independent member.

11. A bottle-filling machine comprising a valve chamber provided witha'valve'seat,

a valve engagingthe valve seat, an inlet pipe rigidly connected with thevalve and passing through the wall of the valve chamher, and meansconnected with the inlet pipe for pressing the valve against the valveseat.

12. In a bottle-filling machine, a movable drainage pan provided With anoutlet, a normally-closed valve controlling the outlet, a fixed drainagereceptacle, and means for opening the valve when the outlet is inposition to deliver into the drainage receptacle. 10

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of twowltnesses.

FREDERIO GEORGE RILEY. \Vitnesses:

CHARLES R. RILEY, WILLIAM HENRY VERNON.

